Even in a meaningless spring training contest that included only a few of their big-name stars, the Dodgers kicked off their 2026 campaign with a 15-2 rout of the Angels in their Cactus League opener, hanging nine runs on the Tempe Diablo Stadium scoreboard before nine outs had even been recorded in the game.<\/p>\n
![\"Dodgers](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/20260221_mjr_su5_115.jpg\")
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a very good overall day for us,\u201d manager Dave Roberts said. \u201cScored a lot of runs and got a lot of guys at-bats.\u201d<\/p>\n
The last time the Dodgers were in action, they were lifting the Commissioner\u2019s Trophy after their Game 7 win in the World Series against the Blue Jays.<\/p>\n
In 112 days since then, expectations have only been raised.<\/p>\n
The team once again boasts a $400 million payroll, easily leading the sport and raising the spectre of a lockout next season. It added Kyle Tucker and Edwin D\u00edaz<\/a> to its collection of superstar talent over the winter, making anything less than another World Series this year a failure for the two-time defending champions.<\/p>\n For now, however, the Dodgers\u2019 task is simple: try to get their aging, but also rejuvenated, roster through this spring unscathed.<\/p>\n And on a sunny Arizona afternoon Saturday, they made a positive first impression in their return to the diamond.<\/p>\n While Tucker, D\u00edaz and most of the team\u2019s other stars weren\u2019t in the lineup, Shohei Ohtani was still leading off <\/a>as designated hitter, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto was back on the mound after a quick offseason turnaround.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> Ohtani began the game by chopping an infield single to third base, his lone hit in three at-bats. That sparked a three-run first inning, which was also keyed by a single from Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez (who went 3 for 3), walks from Santiago Espinal and Alex Freeland, and a two-run bases-loaded knock from Hyeseong Kim at the end of an eight-pitch battle.<\/p>\n Yamamoto then retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the bottom of the first, before the Dodgers struck for six more runs while batting around in the top of the second. That rally was highlighted by another RBI single from Kim, whose swing has looked improved in the early days of camp this spring, and a two-run double from outfield prospect Zach Ehrhard.<\/p>\n When Yamamoto returned to the mound for the second inning after a long break in the dugout, he didn\u2019t look as sharp, allowing two runs on three hits and a dropped ball from Hern\u00e1ndez at the wall in left field that got lost in the sun.<\/p>\n Yamamoto said the layoff between innings affected him but still came away pleased with how he felt over his 30-pitch performance \u2013\u2013 a good sign for a pitcher who led the team in innings last year and was pushed especially hard during their elongated postseason run.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he looked good,\u201d said Roberts, who pulled Yamamoto with two outs in the second. \u201cThirty pitches was enough. I didn\u2019t feel like we needed to push him today.\u201d<\/p>\n Afterward, Yamamoto also noted that he\u2019ll have one more spring outing with the Dodgers next Friday before leaving camp to join Team Japan for next month\u2019s World Baseball Classic.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe California Post is here. Sign up for Morning Report.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet the perfect blend of news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n That evidently came as news to Roberts, who told reporters this week that Yamamoto would only make Saturday\u2019s start before departing \u2013\u2013 and even wished his pitcher luck in the WBC as he took him out of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cAt first, I didn\u2019t know what he was talking about,\u201d Yamamoto said with a laugh in Japanese afterward. \u201cBut as I was coming off the mound, I thought, \u2018He must think this is my last game.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n So go things for the Dodgers right now, balancing ever-changing workloads and ramp-up schedules in preparation for the regular season.<\/p>\n It\u2019s still early days, and there remains a long way to go this spring. But they\u2019re officially off and running, looking dominant as ever just one game in.<\/p>\n Dodgers make claim<\/p>\n The Dodgers added to their outfield depth Saturday, claiming 27-year-old Jack Suwinski off waivers from the Pirates. Suwinski is only a .199 career hitter in four MLB seasons, but he hit 26 home runs in 2023. He has also been a surprise Dodgers killer, batting .314 with five home runs in 15 games against the team.<\/p>\n Suwinski joins Ryan Ward and Michael Siani as left-handed-hitting outfield options on the 40-man roster. In a corresponding move, the team placed Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez on the 60-day injured list.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n